Out with the old, in with the new

(My Clovis News Journal column for October 9, 2015)

When thinking of my favorite seasons, autumn is definitely in the top four. Just where it ranks depends on when you ask me.

Some of the more heavily forested places in which I have lived offer more in the way of fall colors, but no matter where I am, I always feel a sense of anticipation as the days get shorter and cooler, and the clocks are turned back to a more reasonable setting.

Funny thing about Fall: some people believe it looks like everything is dying, and become sad over the change of seasons. I think this is short-sighted.

I see Autumn as necessary for the renewal and rebirth to come. Nature must sweep away the worn out to make way for the fresh. Old bug-scarred, weather-worn leaves fall off so the trees can grow fresh leaves next Spring. Without Fall you won't have Spring. Fall signals hope for the future.

This doesn't only apply to nature. Most of the time, in order to make way for something new and better, the old and the worn have to be discarded. You must scrape away the old paint before you slather on a new coat.

Nor can newly discovered knowledge take hold until the old superstitions are tossed aside.

It doesn't mean you have to pretend the old never existed, or didn't have some value once upon a time. You can reminisce, but knowledge is superior to superstition; reality over wishful thinking.

The good news is the Age of Authority is drawing to a close. The "top-down" centralized, Soviet-style controlling of society failed, and is being replaced by a "bottom-up" decentralized self organization which will be more robust. False hierarchies based on "obey your orders" can finally die out to make way for true experts leading by example; never forcing participation by those who prefer to opt out.

Without letting go of some old bad beliefs- such as the idea that government rules supersede liberty and property rights- you'll never find something better. This isn't to deny you'll have to weather the winter of transition- people have to adjust to being responsible for themselves once again. No one says it will be easy after such a long history of using government to avoid personal responsibility, but Spring is coming.

What appears as destruction is often a necessary step in making way for something better. You can't make an omelet if you are unwilling to break some eggs.

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Hierarchy of Bullies

First you have the Controllers, who- in spite of the pass some people try to give them- are always evil to some degree. These people include presidents, legislators, judges- but also high ranking bureaucrats, ATF and IRS management, and anyone who makes up counterfeit rules to be imposed.

Then you have the Compliance Apes who find ways to force people to comply with the counterfeit rules. These people are either evil or stupid- maybe both in some combination. Here you have the cops, TSA child molesters, DMV drones, the ATF and IRS thugs who actually go after people, and any "government" employee who is given the imaginary privilege of stealing property or initiating violence.

Next down the hierarchy of evil come business owners who copy the behavior of any of the previous bad guys. If government does it and says it's OK, then they believe it's OK for them to do it too. So you end up with drug screening, "no weapons" policies, and other things which cheapen life and violate individual sovereignty.

Next are those who actively support what any of the above are doing. Perhaps those who will report any exercise of liberty to the "proper authorities" are also in this group, or perhaps they deserve their own special level of Hell- I can see it both ways. After all, it's not far from ignorantly thinking the above bullies are right, to actually handing people over to them.

Next come those who prey on others without even bothering to get "legitimate" by joining the Gang. These are not as numerous nor are they as dangerous, since you can still normally shoot them without never-ending numbers of their fellow thugs coming after you.

Now come the greatest mass of those working against Rightful Liberty- the people simply don't care one way or the other until they find themselves victimized. If something happens to you, well, you should have obeyed the law, or given the mugger what he wanted (plus what business did you have being there?)

Now we come to those who like freedom and liberty- unless those concepts involve leaving someone alone when they don't want to. Then excuses and justifications are built around certain justifications for government intervention, which would be seen as the evil it is if it were being done to anyone who hadn't been dehumanized first. Often the justification revolves around some "might" or "possible" or "what if". No violation has occurred, but they are convinced it is just around the corner and only "laws" and cops can prevent it. Maybe they sometimes have a point. Those who support the government's military are also in this group.

Then you finally have the people who aren't bullies at all, and don't support those who are. These are simply trying to live their lives without violating anyone else. Respecting the Rightful Liberty, property, and self determination of everyone, whether they like or agree with them or not. This is a tiny group, but I hope it keeps growing. The world- and the lives of each non-parasitic individual in it- will be so much better the larger this group gets.

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